Coupling for detachably connecting the handle and neck of tennis racket shafts and similar members



Feb. 14, 1933. E. HEDSTROM 1,897,515

COUPLING R DETACHABLY CONNECTING THE HANDLE AND NECK OF E ERS NIS RACKETSH 5 AND SIMILAR MEMB Filed Mar 28, 1952 ATTORNEYS! P atented Feb. 14,1933 PATENT OFFICE ERIC L. HEDSTROM, F BUFFALO, NEW YORK COUPLING FORDETACHAIBLY CONNECTING THE HANDLE AND NECK 0F TENNIS RACKET SHAFTS ANDSIMILAR MEMBERS Application filed March 28, 1932. Serial No. 601,516.

This invention relates to a detachable coupling which is moreparticularly intended for removably connecting the shaft and head of atennis racket, although the same may also be advantageously employed fordetachably connecting other members.

Heretofore the heads of tennis rackets in common use have had theirframes made in one piece with the shafts and this necessitated replacingthe entire racket when the shaft was broken thus involving conslderableeX- pense when such an accident occurred.

The present invention proposes making the handle and neck of the shaftof separable material and connecting the same by a coupling whichpermits of readily replacing a broken handle by a new one and thus avoidloss of the entire racket.

It is the object of this invention to provide 7 a coupling for thispurpose which is simple and strong in construction, and capable of beingreadily and easily assembled and dismembered, and which will rigidlyandreliably hold the racket shaft and head or other members in a definiteposition relatively to each other so as not to interfere with theaccuracy of the tennis racket when playing with the same and also savethe cost of replacing the head.

In the accompanying drawlng:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a tennis racket equipped with my invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary longitudinal section, on an enlarged scale, ofthe throat portion of a tennis racket showing the adjacent parts of theshaft or handle and the head or frame connected by the coupling devicewhich embodies my improvement.

Figure 3 is a cross section taken on line 3-3 Fig. 2.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the frame and neck of thetennis racket constructed in accordance with my invention.

Figure 5 is a similar view of the shaft or handle incorporating featuresof this ime proved coupling.

In the following description similar characters of reference indicatelike parts in the several figures of the drawing.

The general organization of the tennis racket shown in the accompanyingdrawing, as an example of one use for my invention, comprises a head 1which is adapted to strike the ball, and a shaft 2 whereby the racket ismanipulated. The head consists of an annular frame or rim 3 which isformed by bending a strip of wood and cross strings 4; connected withthe frame and extending across the space within the same.

The shaft consists of a neck '5 formed on the frame and a handle 6connected with the neck. The neck is preferably formed by eX- tendinglaterally the two ends of the strip of wood which forms the head frameso as to form two parallel jaws 7, 7 which latter are connected witheach other at their inner ends and also secured to opposite sides of athroat piece 8 by means of a screw 9 or other suitable fastenings. Theouter ends of the jaws are separated from each other by an interveningsocket which has its inner end or bottom closed by correspondingtransverse shoulders 10 formed on the opposing parts of the aws. Thesocket between the jaws is preferably constructed in the form of a crosstwo branches or recesses 11 of which have the form of longitudinalgrooves arranged horizontally opposite each other in the central partsof the opposing inner sides of the jaws and the other two branches 13 ofthe socket having the form of vertical longitudinal slots which arearranged opposite each other and extend from opposite sides of thegrooves to the periphery of the jaws of the neck. In the bottom 12 eachof the grooves 11 is plane throughout its length but each side of theslots is made V-shaped or deeper at its center and inclined from thiscenter toward opposite ends of the respective slot, as shown at 14:.

The handle of the shaft is provided at its front or inner end with ashank which fits the socket of the neck and is detachably securedthereto. This shank is preferably cross shaped in transverse section andcomprises two horizontally extending side wings or ribs 15 arrangedopposite and two vertical wings or ribs 16 arranged opposite each otherand extending upwardly and downwardly from opposite sides of the inneredges of the side wings 15 and at right angles thereto. Each of the sidewings has a plane vertical outer edge 17 and each of the vertical wings16 is provided on its opposite vertical sides with V-shaped surfaceseach of which is highest at the middle, as shown at 18, and has inclinedfaces 19, which slope from the high central parts 18 to the low endparts at the inner and outer ends of the shank.

lVhen assembling the handle of the shaft with the neck on the head thewings of the handle are placed in line with the grooves and slots of thesocket in the neck and then the shank is pushed lengthwise into thesocket until the front end of the shank engages the bottom of the socketand the shoulders 20 of the handle on opposite sides of the shank engagewith the outer ends of the jaws, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. As the frontendsof the upper and lower wings 16 of the shank enter the socket of theneck the outer ends of the jaws of the latter are spread apart by thewedge action of the diverging front inclined surfaces on these verticalwings, which spreading of the jaws is permitted due to the resilience ofthe same and the flexible connection of these jaws with the frame or rimof the head.

This spreading action of the jaws continues until the widest parts ofthe vertical wings on the shank have passed the front or outer ends ofthe jaws, after which the latter will gradually contract until theopposite ,V-shaped sides of the vertical wings register with thecorrespondingly shaped sides of the slots in the jaws at which time thelatter again contract. After the shank has been thus fully inserted. inthe socket of the neck these members are drawn tightly together by meansof screws 21 passing through the aws and shank or other suitablefastening.

\ When the shank and jaws are thus fastened together the cooperatinginclined surfaces thereof hold the handle and neck securely againstlengthwise movement in either direction relatively to each other due tothe wedge action of the cooperating V-surfaces thereon.

Turning of the handle and neck relatively to one another is alsoprevented due to the circumferential interlocking effect producedbetween these parts by engagement of the plurality of shank wings whichare arranged at an angle relatively to each other and engage with theplurality of shoulders formed by the sides of the grooves and slots inthe neck. The handle and neck of the racket are thus immovably connectedwith each other and render the shaft as rigid as though the same weremade in one piece, thereby insuring' absolute accuracy in the use of theracket and avoiding any misplays which otherwise might occur.

Moreover, this coupling permits of readily replacing a broken handlewith a new one and thereby enables the same head to be used continuouslyand effects a considerable economy.

Although three screws are used one for connecting the jaws with eachother and the throat piece and two for connecting the jaws with theshank of the handle, it is to be understood that the number of suchscrews may be varied to suit requirements, for instance the screwpassing through the throat piece as well as that passing through theupper end of the shank in which case the screws passing through thelower ends of the jaws are relied on solely for holding the frame in aclosed position and fastening the neck and handle of the shaft together.

I claim as my invention:

1. A coupling for detachably connecting two members, one of said membershaving a neck provided with two jaws which have their opposing sidesconstructed to form a socket comprising a plurality of branches, two ofsaid branches having the form of grooves which are formed in the centralparts of said jaws and two others of said branches having the form ofslots arranged at right angles to said grooves and extending fromopposite sides of the latter to the periphery of said jaws, the othermember having a shank comprising a plurality of wings arranged to form across in transverse section, two diametrically opposite wings of saidshank engaging said grooves and the other two diametrically oppositewings of said shank engaging said slots, the opposite sides of saidslots between the jaws being V- shaped and the opposite sides of thewings of the shank engaging with said slots being correspondingly\l-shaped.

2. A coupling for detachably connecting two members one of said membershaving a neck provided with two jaws which have their opposing sidesconstructed to form a socket comprising a plurality of branches, two ofsaid branches having the form of grooves which are formed in the centralparts of said jaws and two others of said branches having the form ofslots arranged at right angles to said grooves and extending fromopposite sides of the latter to the periphery of said jaws, the othermember having a shank comprising a plurality of wings arranged to form across in transverse section, two diametrically opposite wings of saidshank engaging said grooves and the other two diametrically oppositewings of said shank engaging said slots, the opposite sides of saidslots between the jaws being V- shaped and the opposite sides of theWings of the shank engaging with said slots being correspondinglyV-shaped, and fastening screws passin transversely through said jaws andshan In testimony whereof I hereby afiix my signature.

ERIC L. HEDSTROM.

